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NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 



To 

CHIEF WILBUR CLIFFORD SHONGO 
Wolf Clan, Seneca Tribe, 

Iroquois Confederacy. 

Late Curator, Indian Department Buffalo 
Historical Society, in recognition of his helpful 
suggestions both as to text and illustrations. 



Copyright 1922 

WILLARD PARKER 

Conshohocken, Pa. 

PRESS OF DUDDY & NYCE, Conshohocken. Pa. 



NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 



THE LEGEND OF THE 



WHITE CANOE 



BY 

WILLARD PARKER 

ILLUSTRATIONS BY 

MARY MUSE FLETCHER 



WILLARD PARKER PUBLISHING CO. 

Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, U. S. A. 
1922 






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INTRODUCTION 

""FHE Legend of the White Canoe, substantially 
as told by Mr. Parker in his poem, is one of 
the oldest and best authenticated of the many 
Indian Legends which cluster about the great 
Niagara Falls. The phenomenon of the Rain- 
bow, which shows itself in the sprays of Niagara 
in greater perfection than anywhere else on the 
globe, is also well known to visitors and resi- 
dents at the Falls. It seems, however, to have 
remained for Mr. Parker's poetic imagination to 
first discover the connection between the sacrifice 
and the bow. 

WILBUR CLIFFORD SHONGO 

Chief Seneca Tribe, Wolf Clan, 

Iroquois Confederacy. 
May, 1922. 



NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 



OLD YA-GAO-TAH'S TALE 



I 



Yon Rainbow, circling great Niagara's brow, 

Tells, children, of a chieftain's awful vow; 

Hark to its tale of sadness and of love, 

All other legends of our race above: 

The story of Wenona's White Canoe, 

The grand devotion of her lover true. 

The fate that swept their youthful lives 
away. 

Marked by Niagara's Rainbow to this day. 




"Yon Rainbow, circling great Niagara's brow' 



NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 



II 



For know, my children, in the days of yore. 

Or ever w^hite man's foot had pressed this 
shore, 

In forest deep and dark our fathers dwelt, 

Before the Manitou devoted knelt, 

Craved His protection and His mighty aid 

Against the foe and famine — to Him 
prayed 

When pestilence up-raised its baleful head, 

Swelling the gruesome ranks of warrior 
dead. 




"Craved His protection and His mighty aid" 



NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 



But comes a day wrhen prayer and offering 
fail, 

When medicines of wise men naught avail. 

When through the tribe, with footsteps 
grim and gaunt. 

Stalk the twin spectres, Pestilence and Want. 

In terror then, around the council fire 

Gather the chiefs, their head Wenonah's sire; 

"What can we offer Thee, Oh! Manitou?" 

Speaks the Great Spirit then: " The While 
Canoe ! " 



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NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 



IV 



Full well they know the precious sacrifice 

Demanded, but, though terrible the price, 

To save the few still left it must be paid — 

Niagara's Water-god the fairest maid 

Of all the tribe as offering must claim — 

Her sacrifice to cleanse the tribe of blame. 

Who shall it be? Alas! there is but one 

On whom the lot can fall ! The deed is 
done ! 
















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NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 



V 



Like arrow to the mark each glance now 
turns 

Toward fair Wenonah, and her sire's heart 
yearns 

At thought that she — his dear — his only 
child, 

Must seek her fate beneath the w^aters wild. 

Stately he rises in his place: " Nay ! nay !" 

He cries, "If naught but that our doom can 
stay, 

We'll brave the famine's pestilential breath, 

Till all the tribe lies stark and cold in 
death ! " 




"Stately he rises in his place: 'Nay ! nay !' he cries' 



NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 



VI 



Up springs Wenonah : " Father ! hear me 
speak ! 

Though but a woman, think me not so weak 

That I would shrink, a coward, from flood 
or fire, 

To save my tribe! My blood is thine, my 
sire! 

Lead on, Oh ! warriors, to Niagara's Fall, 

Its might shall not my woman's heart appal ! 

Farewell, my sire ! Uncas, my love, farewell ! 

Great Water-god ! sound thou Wenonah's 
knell!" 




'Great Water-god ! Sound thou Wenonah's knell" 



NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 



VI 



And now, through leagues of forest have 
they tracked 

Their mournful way toward the Cataract. 

Before that band of dusky warriors grim 

Stalks, stern and silent, the gaunt form of 
him 

Who, savage chieftain of a savage race. 

Yet, sorrow pictured in his w^arrior face. 

Now, torn with anguish, offers up his child, 

A sacrifice unto the waters wild. 




"Before that band of dusky warriors grim" 



NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 



VIII 

Amid the circle of her dusky maids, 

Wenonah treads the darksome forest glades, 

The fairest of her tribe— her Nation's pride^ 

While Uncas walks dejected by her side. 

And though her own brave eyes are filled 
w^ith tears, 

She strives with cheerful w^ord to calm his 
fears. 

But nought can give his troubled spirit rest, 

Or loose those savage lips, with grief 
compressed. 




"And though her own brave eyes are filled with tears" 



NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 



IX 

Now, as she hears Niagara's deep boom, 

A premonition of her dreadful doom, 

Reverberating through the forest aisles. 

Up in her lover's face she faintly smiles. 

And whispers of that land beyond the 
grave, 

That bourne of maiden pure and warrior 
brave. 

Where she, though now torn weeping from 
his side. 

In the Great Spirit's home may be his bride. 




Up in her lover's face she faintly smiles' 



NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 



X 



The White Canoe receives its precious 
freight 

Of flowers and fruit, and, clad in mimic 
state, 

Reclines amid the bloom, Wenonah fair — 

Most luscious fruit, and fairest blossom 
there. 

The warriors grim, smile on such beauteous 
bribe. 

To lure the spirits blessing on their tribe. 

And all save Uncas gaze with eager eye, 

As bark and burden down the current fly. 




'As bark and burden down the current fly' 



NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 



XI 



But not alone must poor Wenonah brave 

That dreadful vortex, for, though nought 
can save, 

A love there is, death even cannot part. 

And such the love that fills brave Uncas' 
heart; 

A single stroke and they are side by side. 

Alone — together — 'mid the boiling tide! 

Hand clasped in hand as plunging o'er the 
brink — 

Heart throbs with heart as in the flood 
they sink. 





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NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 



X 



The stricken warriors turn In mute dismay. 

Then silent— saddened — take their home- 
ward w^ay, 

And on their heads, from out the cloudless 
blue. 

The spray-drops fall, tinted with rainbow's 
hue. 

"The Spirit weeps," they cry, "for Uncas 
brave — 

The Spirit's bow lies upon Uncas' Grave ! " 
And still the mists from her vexed bosom 

rise, 
Niagara's tears for Love's great sacrifice. 

And still o'er Uncas' grave the spirit's rain- 
bow lies. 




'The Spirit weeps," they cry, "for Uncas brave 
The Spirit's bow Hes upon Uncas' grave" 



